Codey, Sweeney endorse Buono for governor

Sen. Richard Codey has endorsed Sen. Barbara Buono’s bid for governor, four days after the former governor announced he wouldn’t run for the seat himself. A short time later, Senate President Stephen Sweeney, who passed on the race yesterday, did the same.

Buono has emerged as the overwhelming favorite to be the Democratic nominee. While some low-profile Democrats have established fund-raising accounts, most with significant profiles — including Codey — have passed on the race.

Here’s Codey’s statement:

“I am proud to lend my name in support to the candidacy for governor of New Jersey to Sen. Barbara Buono. Sen. Buono represents an independent voice that answers only to the residents of this state.

“Sen. Buono has distinguished herself as a progressive leader over the course of her career. She has been a leader through the years in the fight to expand access to health care and has fought the governor’s cuts to women’s health funding. She has consistently stood up for middle class New Jerseyans and fought to ease their burden by imposing a surcharge on millionaires. She has always understood the importance of the state’s investment in our public schools and higher education and has clearly articulated the long-term negative impacts of the cuts to both during this administration. She has never hesitated in calling for restrictions on assault weapons and as chair of the budget committee she passed balanced budgets and scores of job creation initiatives.

“As the first female Senate majority leader in the history of the state, she showed her leadership and her commitment to her working class roots. I am confident as the campaign takes hold the voters of New Jersey will rally around her candidacy and we will soon call her Gov. Buono.”

Codey — who moved up to governor for 14 months starting in 2004 because he was Senate president when then-Gov. Jim McGreevey resigned — kicked the tires on a possible run for the Democratic nomination before announcing Friday he would instead seek another term in the Senate. He’s been in the Legislature since 1974.

Sweeney, 17 other South Jersey lawmakers and seven county chairs issued a joint statement supporting Buono.

“Together, we are committed to tirelessly fight to elect Barbara Buono as our next governor because she has the proven track record to stand up for middle-class families and the most vulnerable in our society.

“Barbara Buono has a distinguished record of service during the past decade in the New Jersey State Senate. As chairwoman of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee, she fought to make government more fiscally responsible by cutting $4.5 billion from the state budget, while protecting critically needed resources for health care and our schools. In the most trying of economic times, Barbara Buono has been a strong voice for New Jersey families struggling with their own economic security to help spark job creation and eliminate corporate giveaways, along with special tax breaks for multimillionaires.

“Four more years of Chris Christie would be four more years of protecting multimillionaires, denying women access to critical life-saving healthcare services, rising unemployment, no relief for overburdened property taxpayers and the most vulnerable in society being trampled by failed policies. Not only is Barbara Buono uniquely qualified to serve as our next governor, but also she has the vision and drive desperately needed to get New Jersey working again.”

So did Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin, the chairman of the Democratic Governors Association.

“Barbara Buono understands the challenges facing New Jersey’s middle-class families because she’s lived through them. That’s why she’s spent her entire career fighting to create jobs, improve education, expand access to quality health care, and balance budgets. Unfortunately, Gov. Christie has failed to deliver on his promise to turn the state around. He’s blown a hole in the budget while New Jersey ranks near the bottom of the nation in unemployment, foreclosures, property taxes, and business climate. New Jersey needs a governor focused on creating jobs and expanding opportunity for New Jersey’s working families and that’s exactly the kind of governor Barbara Buono will be.”

“After failing to recruit their first, second, third or fourth choice candidates into the campaign for governor, Democrats have finally settled on state Sen. Barbara Buono.

“Given the tremendous leadership Gov. Christie has displayed in closing an $11 billion budget deficit without raising taxes, capping property taxes, and enacting pension and education reforms, the Democrats’ inability to recruit one of their preferred candidates into the race is not surprising. That said, we look forward to contrasting Gov. Christie’s record of reform with Sen. Buono’s record of higher taxes, increased spending and deeper debt.

“While we commend Sen. Buono for running, we are confident voters will want to continue the progress New Jersey has made since Gov. Christie took office.”

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About Michael Symons

Michael Symons has covered seven governors while working in Gannett's Statehouse Bureau -- a stint which actually only stretches back to 2000, but the door revolves quickly in New Jersey politics. He's co-author of the biography "Chris Christie: The Inside Story of His Rise to Power."

About the Authors

Bob JordanBob Jordan has covered state, county and muncipal governments for the past 10 years. He has also covered the gaming industry and has been a sports team beat writer for NHL, NBA and major league baseball teams.E-mail Bob

John SchoonejongenJohn Schoonejongen is state editor for Gannett New Jersey newspapers. He has reported and edited at New Jersey newspapers from Salem County to Passaic County, writing about everything from state politics to lost pigs on the Delaware Memorial Bridge. Born in Camden County, he still speaks with a southern New Jersey accent, much to his wife's annoyance.E-mail John

Michael SymonsMichael Symons has covered seven governors while working in Gannett's Statehouse Bureau -- a stint which actually only stretches back to 2000, but the door revolves quickly in New Jersey politics. He's co-author of the biography "Chris Christie: The Inside Story of His Rise to Power."E-mail Michael